Going green isn’t as simple as recycling, even if we’d love to think otherwise. Reducing your carbon footprint takes a concerted effort – and might still only be a drop in the ocean.
The US is a major global polluter and, with President Donald Trump’s dismantling of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the country’s reliance on fossil fuels is likely to continue.
Fairbanks, Alaska, has the highest levels of air pollution in the States, in part because of the burning of wood and solid fuels to heat homes in the winter. However, other cities like Los Angeles don’t lag far behind.
This is a nationwide problem that’s lacking a governmental initiative to tackle it. Films like An Inconvenient Truth may come and go, but your personal commitment has to last if it’s to weather the storm of a presidency railing against it.
Here are a few measures you can take if you want to go green successfully.
Veganism
Here’s a fact rarely reported by the media – the meat industry is one of the leading emitters of greenhouse gases in the world and, without significant changes, it will kill the planet.
But the University of Oxford has found that veganism is the ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your carbon footprint and help save the planet.
The research found that eating a vegan diet reduces a person’s carbon footprint by up to 73 percent. If everyone stopped eating meat, global farmland use could be reduced by 75 per cent, an area equivalent to the size of the US, China, Australia and the EU combined.
Speaking to the Independent, lead author of the paper Joseph Poore said, ‘A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use.
‘It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car.
‘Avoiding consumption of animal products delivers far better environmental benefits than trying to purchase sustainable meat and dairy.’
Making long-haul flights
Long-haul flights are difficult to avoid in our globalized business world, but there are ways to make it that little bit more efficient.
If you’re travelling with a number of other people, then bring them all in the same car. Worried about parking? Then check a site like Looking4.com for private parking, allowing you to save time by driving directly to the terminal.
Some airports are also greener than others – so do your research before you book your trip.
Skip bottled water
While it contains extra minerals, bottled water is significantly more wasteful than water from a tap.
Many cities such as Flint, Michigan, have had troubles with their water – but for other states, a glass of tap water is just as good as the H20 from the 7/11.
That’s our list! Can you think of anymore ways to become eco-friendly? Then let us know in the comments below!
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